BMW i3 owner Shaun Maidment has owned his first generation 60Ah BMW i3 since August 2016. Just under three years later, Maidment now has the added distinction of having reached the 200 000km milestone in his BMW i3, to make his the highest-mileage electric vehicle across Africa - and the 15th highest mileage BMW i3 in the world.

Shaun Maidment is an early adopter to the electric vehicle model and a vocal BMW i3 customer. His BMW i3 is used as his primary vehicle for local and longer-distance trips for both business and pleasure.

“This car has changed my life,” says Maidment. “I did cheat in the beginning. I bought the REX version because I was scared like everybody else. But it’s not complicated at all; it’s ridiculously simple. There are many days when I drive 200 to 300 kilometres in a day and you just plan your day slightly differently.”

Tim Abbott, CEO of BMW Group South Africa, says: “Congratulations to Shaun for reaching this momentous occasion on his journey with BMW. Having reached the 200 000km-mark shows that it is possible to go practically anywhere, over any distance, in an i3.”

The updated BMW i3 and the new BMW i3s , now available in South Africa.

The launch of the all-new BMW i3 in 2015 ushered in a new era in electric mobility. It was the world’s first premium car conceived from the outset to incorporate an all-electric drive system. The car’s development was also dictated by the characteristics designed into the car by the development team and not by the constraints imposed by a pre-existing vehicle design.

Now, in 2019, BMW i is consolidating its position as an innovation leader and trendsetter in the field of pioneering electromobility, with hallmark brand driving pleasure and excellent everyday practicality.

Since the market launch of the BMW i3, the storage capacity of its high-voltage battery has been doubled, thereby increasing the car's range as well. For comparison: at the global market launch of the BMW i3 in 2014, the expected range with the first generation battery was roughly 130km, while the second-generation battery introduced in 2016 allowed for around 200km of range. The latest generation battery, now available in South Africa, has a storage capacity of 120Ah and the usable range is extended to more than 260km.

At the same time as the introduction of the new battery, a new body finish, a new colour for the optional interior design Loft and adaptive LED headlights with matrix function for the high beam are also now available for the BMW i3 and BMW i3s.

BMW i in South Africa – the most successful electrified vehicle brand in South Africa.

Since 2015, when the future oriented BMW i3 and BMW i8 were introduced into South Africa, they have been a growing presence on local roads and remain the market leaders in their respective segments in South Africa.

BMW South Africa remains committed to providing electrified vehicles to this country. The backbone of the strategy for BMW i’s market launch was the holistic approach to electro-mobility typified by the pioneering 360° ELECTRIC product and service packages. This includes: home charging with the optional BMW i Wallbox; charging on the go at ChargeNow public charging stations (a charging card used for access at no cost at all BMW charging stations in South Africa); and Assistance Services designed specifically for electro-mobility.

Since the launch here of the BMW i sub-brand in 2015 to date, BMW Group South Africa has delivered more than 600 BMW i3 and i8 vehicles to customers. In terms of global figures, in 2017 the BMW Group sold more than 100,000 electrified vehicles and in 2018 reached the goal of selling over 140,000 electrified vehicles – yet again confirming the company’s position as a leading global provider of premium electrified mobility. By the end of this year, the BMW Group will have a combined 500,000 electrified vehicles on global roads and at least 25 electrified vehicles in 2025, of which half will be full-electric and the rest will be plug-in hybrids.

BMW currently has 58 ChargeNow charging stations in South Africa, with six being shared with Nissan as part of the companies' original Memorandum of Understanding, signed in 2015. There are five DC fast chargers at dealerships nationwide – Zambezi Auto and Club Motors Fountain (Pretoria), Sandton Auto (Johannesburg), Supertech (Durban) and SMG (Cape Town) – that allow for charging of the BMW i3 from 0% to 80% in around 45 minutes. ChargeNow stations can be accessed using a ChargeNow card at no cost to owners and drivers.

“Given the added interest in electrified vehicles in South Africa, we expect the infrastructure to continue expanding locally, particularly as government and local industry work closer together to advance the cause of electrified vehicles. We will continue to honour our commitment with an increased range of electrified vehicles. Essentially, our future is electric,” adds Abbott.